Whose Dog Is It Anyway?
by Toadflame
Summary: Tim asks Tony to take Jethro for the night. Tag to 'Dog Tags'


**So, I was perusing the NFA (NCIS Fanfiction Addiction) site and saw the random pairing generator. So I go there, and I'm messing around when I get this prompt: **_**Anthony DiNozzo/Jethro the Dog/in the dead of the night**_

**Spoilers for **_**Dog Tags**_**, a bit of a tag to the episode. Just a bit of fun between our favorite canine and Special Agent. Enjoy?**

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_Why the hell did I agree to this?_ Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, Jr., aka Tony, thought to himself as the dog, who Abby named Jethro, whined once again from the seat beside him.

Earlier in the day, just before he'd left, McGee had come racing to him with the dog on the leash right behind him.

"Tony!" the younger agent panted, skidding to a halt before the senior field agent.

"Probie!" Tony gasped, feigning shock. "Now that we both know who we are, can you get to the point?"

McGee gulped air quickly. "D-do you think you could take Jethro for the night? Just one? Abby needed him to find a home, and I agreed because she made me, and I need to dog-proof my house before I can take him, so I need to find him a place to sleep for the night."

Tony looked from man to dog. The dog let its soulful gaze wash over the agent, and he really couldn't say no to the dog.

"Yeah, sure, I can take him. One night _only_, got it, McGoo?"

"Course! Here." McGee handed him the bag slung over his shoulder. "Dog food for in the morning and tonight, some toys, and a couple dishes. Thanks again!"

McGee hurried off, taking the elevator Tony was about to enter. He looked at the dog, who looked back.

"Come on then," Tony sighed, heading for the stairs.

That had been only a half-hour ago, and Tony now had a recuperating dog in his apartment. His surprisingly clean apartment. His apartment that was now getting dog hair and who knows what else all over. And it was surprising-for a dog that had had surgery that day to remove a piece of a knife, it was managing to tear the place apart.

What could he do? He gave the damn thing some of the food, he took it outside (a long endeavor since he lived on the freaking FOURTH floor of an apartment building), and it already had annoyed his neighbors.

With pizza from lunch in hand and non-alcoholic beer on the table, Tony sat watching another movie, one he'd already seen. It was _Eight Below_, ironically about some dogs trying to survive in Antarctica. At almost ten o'clock, he finally turned the film off.

Yawning, he made his way to the bedroom. He knew he had paperwork to finish, but needed at least an hour's rest before heading back to the Yard. He also knew that if he waited, he might be able to get there and not have Gibbs chew him out for it. Hah, chew. Dog humor.

Nearly an hour later, he awoke to a wet nose in his face. Sitting up abruptly, Tony nearly fell out of his bed onto the floor, saved only because of the nearby table, managing to grab it just as he toppled.

"Off the bed, dog!" he hissed, keeping his voice down so he didn't alert the people next door. He looked at the clock. _10:53_. Perfect. Not only had he almost reached his wake-up call, it was interrupted by an overly-affectionate canine that apparently now had Abby-like tendencies.

"Come on, mutt. Time to go back to the office," Tony said, alert as he was going to get on only an hour's rest and knowing he couldn't leave the dog here. Not if he wanted an apartment when he got back.

It was pitch dark, the lamps not reaching this far to the edge of town. Tony kept the lights on low, partially because it was a residential district, but mostly so he didn't blind anybody, oncoming or trying to sleep. He stopped at the first lit Starbucks he saw, really not in the mood to care about where he got his caffeine to stay awake.

Satisfied, he tried to get back into the car, but was forced to abandon the effort when Jethro jumped out of the open door and ran across the parking lot.

"Hey!" Tony yelped in surprise. "Get back here!" He grabbed a flashlight from the glove compartment and followed Jethro's barking, trying desperately to get the dog back. _McGee was gonna kill him if he didn't get the damn dog back, but only if Abby didn't do it first!_

He chased the dog through the night into the traffic, narrowly crossing without an accident, and finally catching him as he slowed and started to sniff.

Tony groaned at what happened next. "Seriously? You run off in the dead of the night to _pee_?"

The dog simply looked at him, trotting back towards the parking lot when he was finished. Tony followed, now annoyed as well as exhausted.

"That's it, you're going to McGee right now. Even if he isn't ready for you yet!" Tony scolded as he let the dog in the car again.

The coffee now lukewarm, Tony drove for McGee's house, muttering every so often about the dog in his passenger seat.

* * *

**This is what happens when you're about to leave for a week and get this entire thing stuck in your head. At ten at night. Thanks for reading! Review?**


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